I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. I attended Star of the Sea School in the Waialae district of O’ahu. Upon graduation I moved to Southern California to attend college. I have my Masters degree in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University. Currently I am working on a second Masters degree in Psychology. I have taught hula in the UCLA Hawaii Club (Hui 'O Imiloa) for ten (10) years a
nd I also owned my own hula school, with my ex-husband, for twelve (12) years. I have participated in various festivals over the past 12 years such as the Lotus Festival, the LA Festival, the Pacific Island festival, Ho’olaule’a Northridge, Ho’olaule’a San Diego, Ho’olaule’a Alondra Park and various city and community festivals as well. I have entered the local hula competition (E Hula Mau), once in Long Beach and once at University California Irvine. I have also worked with the Kulia I Ka Punawai, also known as, the Kumu Hula Association of Southern California, twice as their lighting and sound director. Hula Lineage
Before teaching hula I was also a student. As a child, I studied under Aunty Pauline Kekahuna in Kapahulu where I grew up. After moving to California, I studied under Mohala Reese and joined Nameakanu O Laka O Hawaii in 1985. In 1988, I formed my own school, Kaulana Ka Hale Kula O Na Pua O Ka Aina, together with my husband of 12 years where I danced and taught as well. In the year 2000 I returned to Nameakanu O Laka O Hawaii, where I studied for an additional two years. In 2014, I have returned as a student to Nameakanu 'O Laka 'O Hawai'i to be trained and graduate ('uniki) as a kumu hula. At this time, my halau is closed so that I may focus on studying the culture, history and language of Hawai'i.
